Cycling head challenges Government to do more for sports

President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union Trevor “Sailor” Bailey has made another call on the Government “to pay more attention to sports.”{{more}}

He issued his proposal at the union’s hosting of its ninth annual awards ceremony at the Murray Heights Hotel recently, and drew example of such governmental support, whereby the authorities in Martinique sponsored most of the foreign cyclists’ participation in a local event.

Bailey, however, did not restrict this support to one of a financial nature.

Citing the mounting dangers on the nation’s roads, Bailey called for “more police outriders when we have our road races.”

The cycling union president also plugged again for the Government to speed up the bureaucracy and provide them with the land space to erect a BMX track.

On offer from the US Cycling Federation since 2012 is a BMX track to St Vincent and the Grenadines; however, the local union is still to clear the hurdle of land.

Another twist in the latter matter came as Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture Cecil Mc Kie told Bailey: “Sailor, be at my doorstep every Monday morning until you get that track organized.”

McKie also in his rebuttal stated, “Once you have that development programme outline, the Government, through the National Lotteries (Authority), you are virtually guaranteed the necessary support … You have gotten it the past and you will get in the future, but the National Lotteries Authority and Government want to see that you are organized.”

It was recently revealed that the National Lotteries Authority, over the past three years, has contributed $2 million in total to several national sporting associations in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

In the payouts, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cycling Union was the recipient of $40,000.(RT)